


Time May Change Me

by Lady_Blackhawk



Category: Marvel, Young Avengers
Genre: Captain Marvel - Freeform, Gen, The Young Avengers Are Avengers now
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-25
Updated: 2015-08-25
Packaged: 2018-04-17 06:10:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,855
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4655577
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lady_Blackhawk/pseuds/Lady_Blackhawk
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Julie Power, the official PR for the Avengers has seen the approval ratings...its time for some changes to be made, specifically to Billy and Teddy's respective image. What are those changes? Will they accept them? What are they?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Time May Change Me

**Author's Note:**

> So this came from a plot bunny I had....and well this is a result. I wondered what would it take for Teddy to ditch the Hulkling persona because he really needs to ditch it.

Being full-time Avengers was a big responsibility and everyone was feeling the pressure. Most of the previous generation of Avengers had retired completely or requested to be put on reserve. Others moved out, while most remained to reintroduce the new generation of heroes.

Tony of course remained, helping to push tech and upgrade Eli’s shield, Kate’s bow, among others. A few other heroes remained close by, ready to land a hand and assist. Overall the new heroes were welcomed by the public, or had they?

One by one the Avengers came down in uniform to the meeting room. Billy had gone back to his second uniform, but had given it a few updates that modernized it a bit. Still, he felt like something new was in order. Teddy followed quickly sporting a black suit, with wing panels on the back. He had gone through a few changes. Upon reaching his twenty-first birthday, his abilities grew and he could now fly without the use of wings. Something having to do with his Kree DNA, the others had supplied and Carol confirmed.

Kate had thought about a new suit to honor the original Hawkeye, Clint vetoed the idea. Remaining in her standard purple suit seemed like the natural thing to do. Getting Cassie back on the team was the best part and she and Eli had the least changes in costume. Being on a team felt amazing for Cassie, even if she was still the youngest member of the team. She had ditched the red and black and decided to embrace a more adult version of herself.

Tommy was the last to enter the meeting room and sat down beside Kate with a wink. At the center of the table was a holographic projection with charts and Julie Power stood in red business dress, with a remote control in her hand.

“Okay, Julie,” began Kate, “We’re all here, what do we got?”

Julie had given up on her acting career, but her experience had given her some insight into public relations and went back to school for it. Thus when the Avengers were looking for a PR person, she jumped at the opportunity.

“There’s good news and bad news. Good news is overall you’re doing pretty well for a brand new generation of heroes,” began Julie, “Much higher than Peter Parker when he first joined the Avengers.”

“Oh good, we scored higher than Spider-Man, gosh that was hard,” chimed Tommy and got six pairs of eyes glaring at him.

“Point is, it’s higher than we expected, which is good.”

“The bad is, that while you’ve been more or less accepted as Avengers, from a PR standpoint you’re still seen as teenagers.” She showed them a few polls before switching to specific comments and pictures, “Cassie is of course the youngest of the group and she had the hardest job. She’s maintained it well and Mr. Stark’s modification to her costume has been an asset to her image.”

“How?” asked Eli

“The wings increase her speed and allow for greater range of motion when shrunk down,” explained Julie pulling up Cassie’s schematics, “Overall Cassie’s approval ratings are good, though her identity is practically public.”

“Can anything be done about that?” asked Kate, “To at least hide her identity better.”

“A helmet?” suggested Billy, “Your dad had one; he used it to talk to ants and stuff.”

“That is a possibility,” admitted Julie, “Alright moving on.” The picture changed to show Eli, “People, particularly in minority communities are incredibly happy to see Eli back with the Avengers. There’s been a few racist groups making chatter, but your approval rating is quite high, despite your bedside manner…which is something you need to work on…” The image changed again, “As for Hawkeye. A few people have been questioning your leadership skills. But since this team doesn’t have much in the way of leadership in the traditional sense there’s nothing to worry about.”

“Good!” muttered Kate.

“Speed!” Tommy perked up, “People’s biggest complaint about you seems to be your lack of communication. Speaking too fast, and zipping past the media. Like it or not you’re an Avenger and that means having to talk to the press.” Tommy grunted.

Julie walked around the table, “Most people seem to like you, even if most of them seem to think you’re Quicksilver.”

“Really? Practically ten years of doing this and I still get mistaken for Uncle Pete? I’m calling him. We’re going to have words.” Tommy went to pull out his cell phone. Kate put a hand over his, stopping him. Her gaze was enough to silence him.

She switched to Billy, “Costume, and update, both of you. You’re not sixteen anymore and what works for Speed does not work for you two,” she looked between Billy and Teddy. I’ve had Janet send over a few designs which you can see when you return to your quarters and then let me know.” The visual changed to a portion of Billy’s information, “Code name needs some work.”

“Wizard Boy,” suggested Cassie

“Magic Lad?” added Teddy.

“That wasn’t funny the first time.” Grunted Billy, “I’ll think about it.”

“You’ve been criticized by a few Jewish groups for your choice of code name. The more you talk about fighting anti-Semitism the less likely they are to listen when you’re calling yourself Wiccan. Your costume has been received as childish, although better than your last costume by far.” Tommy stifled a giggle.

“So pick a code name, new outfit, got it. Easy enough.”

“Which brings us to you Teddy,” said Julie and her face fell. The hologram changed to Teddy’s full body view, rotating, “Once people get to know you they like you but…” she showed him the social media feeds that were captured, “Most people can’t relate to you. People want to get to know the real you a bit more. The other problem is you’re a twenty-five year old man going by the name Hulkling. It’s time to hang up that mantle, and upgrade. You’re not a Hulk and that persona is harming your numbers.”

“And all of this will help how?” demanded Eli.

“My research shows that people need to see you as professional and approachable. These changes will help your image and will ensure that the public remains on your side. If they’re on your side, they’re more likely to listen to you should there be danger. How you are perceived by the public and the government is important whether you like it or not.” Explained Julie.

“Thank You Julie,” said Teddy, “I’ll think about what you’ve said.”

Julie grabbed her Stark Pad and began doing several things, “I’ve sent all the sketches Janet sent over and the suggested code names I’ve worked out with legal for your review. Of course if you think of anything else please feel free to submit it to me and Jennifer. Any questions? No excellent. Enjoy your day, I have a meeting with GNN.”

The former superhero and former actress took her leave by flying out of the room and out the door towards GNN studios. The team split up, each person going to their suites.

Tommy chose to ride up with Billy and Teddy and jumped into the elevator right as the doors closed.

“So what are you going to do about your code names?” asked Tommy, “Shifter and Wizard? Um….Sorcerer and Green Boy? Scarlet Witch and Captain Kree? Wizard Boy and Skrull Man?”

“Tommy, please stop,” begged Billy as the elevator opened on Billy and Teddy’s floor, “We’ll figure it all out…eventually.”

“Knock yourself out, I’m going to go call Uncle Pete.” In an instant, Tommy was gone.

The alarm went off which warned them off danger and everyone returned quickly to the meeting room.

“Billy, Teddy you’re staying for now, everyone else, let’s go.” Ordered Kate.

“Kamala is in route,” added Eli from his tablet.

“I called Miles in for backup.” Said Cassie

“Good, move out.” Billy opened his mouth to argue, “Relax, if it gets out of hand and we need you we’ll call.”

“Have fun,” called Tommy and was gone in an instant. Billy and Teddy returned to their quarters and sat down on the carpeted floor and Billy made everything appear in front of them, including Janet’s designs. Some were reminiscent of his earliest costume, and Hulk-like persona, but one caught his attention.

“Is that?” Began Teddy and Billy zoomed in on the picture he pointed it to. It was a Captain Marvel costume, but not a Captain Marvel costume, not Carol anyway, but his father, except with green accents.

“Inspired by the original Captain Mar-vell design while keeping a hint of green in honor of your past though colors can be changed. The fabric is very specific, allowing it to change as you shift as not to rip, much like your other costumes and its lighter than all your other suits,” Billy read off.

“It’s…a bit…”

“We never really talk about the other side of your family, you met him once…kind off.”

“A skrull programmed to think he was Captain Mar-Vell…it helped…some.”

“Well…we’ve all honored our family and mentors in one way or another,” said Billy. And it was true, Kate and Clint, Tommy and Pietro, Cassie had her father, Eli and his grandfather and uncle and Billy with Wanda. If anything Teddy was emulating just a little his skrull heritage, but that was a stretch. He wasn’t and any similarities were a coincidence at best. It felt wrong, it didn’t feel like him.

“You’re zoning out,” sing songed Billy, “If you want we can talk about the code name suggestions.”

“Okay.” Said Teddy, “Let’s hear them.”

“Hulk, Shifter…Mysterio, what was Jan thinking with that one? Skrull Man, has she been talking to Tommy? These are terrible. We’ll skip the nicknames for now.”

Teddy took the projection keyboard from Billy and pulled up his nicknames.

“She’s got a couple of versions of the Doctor Strange thing.”

“I think my parents would have some problem with me using the title Doctor when I’m not one. At least Doctor Strange is a doctor. Besides it kind of defeats the purpose of a secret identity.”

“What’s he doing now?”

“Exploring Mystic realms, training younger mystics in Tibet…but if anyone here gets pregnant he’d be on the first flight back.”

“Magic Man?” The look Billy sent his way was noted, “Um…The Sorcerer isn’t too bad. Tells you everything you need to know. Warlock….too supervillain?” Billy nodded.

“Sorcerer isn’t too terrible…kind of reminds me of Merlin.”

“You do look a bit like Merlin.”

Billy scoffed, of course he did. Teddy pulled up the designs that Janet had made, a few were based more off Thor’s designs, one was reminiscent of the Scarlet Witch, and a bunch that were compiled off other magic users, including one based off Loki. Billy scraped that one first. “So…..which one?” asked Teddy.

“Not the Loki looking one, that’s for sure. I’m kind of leaning more towards the Doctor Strange one, minus the leopard gloves and I get to keep my red cape.” Teddy stifled a chuckle.

Billy fell back on the floor, his head landing on Teddy’s knee. Neither wanting to really change anything about their look. So what were they to do? Put it away and watch the battle going on while Billy was responding to texts coming in from his family.

The TV was turned onto Fox News and the reporter was live, “The Avengers are currently in central park, preventing a group of villains known as the Viper Gang. We now go live.” They scene switched to Stature flying circles around the bad guys and Spider-Man taking down a thug with his webs.

They had been called in and the battle had been long. Billy had returned to the quarters he shared with Teddy, magically changing into pj’s and fell into the bed. Teddy smiled and gently kissed his head, covering him with the blankets. The fight took a lot out of him, magically and physically. He changed into his normal person clothes and went down to the kitchen to make tea.

A blond woman, older than he was by a good fifteen years, minimum, and she’d tell you it was less than that, sat at the counter, a fresh pot of tea ready and waiting.

“Carol,” said Teddy coming in, “What are you doing here?”

“Well I am still an Avenger,” said Carol, “Even if I’m mostly retired.” Mostly retired meant that she was training some teen heroes, much like the Young Avengers, others they had found with powers, who were not mutants, but needed help to control their abilities.

“True. How’s your cat?”

“Still cranky, but she’s coming around. I got the weirdest text from your husband.”

“Billy texted you?” Carol nodded and offered him the pot. He grabbed a cup from the cabinet.  When had Billy done that?

“Lemon tea, he said you like it after a battle.”

“It’s relaxing.” She poured him a full cup, “So what did Billy’s text say?” He bought the mug to his lips. 

“That the Captain Marvel mantle was put on the table.”  Teddy coughed into this mug

“Uh…yeah, I guess it is. Apparently I need to adultify my image, according to Julie. Billy seems to think I should just take on my father’s name.”

“So why not do it?”

Teddy sighed, nursing the mug in his hands, “It doesn’t feel like me, for lack of a better explanation. I never knew him…I got to talk to a Skrull that thought he was him…would he even like me? I mean what right do I have to call myself Captain Marvel?”

“What right did you have to call yourselves Young Avengers?”

Teddy laughed, “Technically Kat Farrell did that.”

“But you ran with it.”

“We couldn’t come up with anything better.”

It was Carol’s turn to laugh, “Jess mentioned something about that.” He sipped the tea.

“He’d be very proud of you, I hope you know that.”

“You think?”

“I know. He was a very noble person, highly intelligent and he was always willing to sacrifice himself for what he knew in his heart was right. Sound familiar? Now, let me see, who was it, that encourages his boyfriend to ditch the Avengers and damned be the consequences?”

Teddy grinned fondly, drinking his tea.

“You may not have known him Teddy, but he is a part of you. Your strength, your heart, you’re more alike than you think. Of course it’s up to you. You know…now that I think about it. Both Phylla Vell and Genis-Vell tried the whole Captain Marvel title. It didn’t fit them. Might be right up your alley.”

He had never met either one of his half-siblings. As far as everyone knew, earth heroes, Nova Corps, Guardians, etc, Phylla and Genis were both dead. There were few people on earth who truly knew his father. Carol knew him, spent time with him, learned from him.

“So…you’re okay with me going by Captain Marvel?”

“Why not? I had it, Monica had it, didn’t work well for Phylla and Genis. You look exactly like your father, you have that already above everyone else. I think he would be proud that you took his feelings into consideration. If he was here, I think he would be honored to have you carry on the mantle of Captain Marvel. I know I am.” She finished her cup, “Of course it is completely up to you. Go be whoever you want. You could be the Super Skrull, or maybe Captain Skrull…but then again, the Skrull invasion is still kind of a sensitive topic for people. So watch out on that one.”

“Thanks Carol, I think that actually helps,” Grinned Teddy.

“Good, now I have to go, I’m meeting Kamala for a late drink.” Teddy smiled knowing how close Carol and Kamala were since her decision to take on training young heroes. Kamala often guest lectured to the kids and helped out whenever she could. Her collegiate studies and superhero worked help her quite busy.

Carol left the room and Teddy leaned back in his seat. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad. He could have an actual mask and wouldn’t have to be green all the time.

Billy meanwhile was asleep, enjoying his dream of flying though history, as he often did. _A man appeared, bearded, with completely silver hair, wearing a black and red changshun. He appeared like a spirit guide in the middle of a colorful tunnel of images, realities, histories, ready for exploration._

_“Hello Billy.”_

_“Doctor Strange, how are you? Still traveling through the mystical realms?”_

_“Among other places. I find the feelings of burden lifting at the moment, it is quite liberating,” replied the Sorcerer Supreme._

_“Come again?”_

_“Follow me.” They drifted together into a sea of past mistakes, Billy stiffened, but sat inside the boat with Strange, “Do you remember, years ago now, you and I met at a diner?”_

_“Yeah, you hoped Doctor Doom wouldn’t become the Sorcerer Supreme. I was such a fanboy then.”_

_“I’m sure a lot has changes since then.” Billy smirked._

_“So what brings you to my dream land? And what was that about a burden?”_

_“Ah yes,” they drifted in the water before they docked in another area of Billy’s subconscious, completely blank. They exited the boat, “This is your potential. This is why I have come to visit you, to show you, that you have gone through a lot.” He made Billy look at the water, his depression, his suicide attempts, his regrets, floating in the water, “You have grown a lot too. Your powers, your knowledge, and your heart are the reason that I can show you this.”_

_“A blank canvas of my subconscious?”_

_“Yes, the potential that you can unlock upon receiving the honors that befall the sorcerer supreme.”_

_“You think I’m ready?” asked Billy shocked._

_“I do indeed, Billy. Your power is there and it is as pure as your heart. Despite the hardships and loss, you have become a better person. You have learned from your mistakes better than many others. Though neither you nor your teammates realized it, after you saved the earth, the previous week, you glowed.”_

_“I did?”_

_“More so than usual, the power emanating from you…it was a sign…among others. I have come, as the mystics have declared, to give you that which befalls the sorcerer supreme. Good luck to you Billy, and I will see you soon for the official ceremony.”_

_This is dream, thought Billy, he would wake up and everything would be as it were. This was not Doctor Strange. It was just a manifestation of his dreams and desires. There was no way he was ready. So he would play along and enjoy it while he could. He’d had similar dreams before, particularly after his first meeting with Strange. Maybe it was his subconscious carrying out his desires or something._

_“It is time to wake up Billy.” Strange tapped Billy on the head and it was all gone_

He opened his eyes with a smile, odd dream, he enjoyed it. He turned over to face the rest of the bed and found a cloak, a wand, and the Eye of Agamotto on the covers.

One month Later!

The press was gathered around the courtyard of Avengers Mansion, Julie opened the double doors of the mansion and stepped out in full business attire. She walked right up to the podium, amid flashing cameras, video cameras and reporters ready to shout.

“Hello ladies and gentlemen. I am Julie Powers, the official media relations rep for the Avengers. After careful consideration, we are here to announce the complete line up for the Avengers. Please welcome…the Avengers.” She stepped aside and released the microphones to float above the lineup for Avengers.

“Thank You Julie,” began Hawkeye, “It is with great pleasure we introduce to you first, the team you know and love, with some general changes, first, the obvious, Patriot and Speed.” The two men smiled and Speed stood still with a friendly grin.

“It is a pleasure and an honor to protect the people of New York and of the Earth.” Said Patriot.

“I’ve heard that people are interested in getting to know me, well, what can I tell you, I have a brother, I like noodles, and most of my friends wear spandex.” The reporters laughed at Speed’s comments.

“Next we have the new and improved Stinger. The helmet that had been added to Cassie’s wings and costume fit perfectly and gave her the ability to talk to ants, to register different odors and toxins at a far distance, and to see farther and better during flight and poor weather conditions.

“You’ve seen them around in battle, you’ve gotten a glimpse of the new duds, now here is your chance to meet, the former Wiccan, now the Scarlet Sorcerer, and Hulkling has ditched the green to become Captain Marvel,” cut in Julie for a more dramatic flair, the two came out in their duds, Teddy sporting his earrings and a white and green Captain Marvel costume, while Billy, with a bit of a growing beard wore some form of outfit, which was pretty much hidden beneath the cloak. The eye of Agamotto resting on his chest proudly, no leopard gloves, thank you.

“Finally, it is our pleasure to announce two new additions to the Avengers lineup.” Out of the double doors stepped out Kamalah and Miles.

“Spider Man and Ms. Marvel have helps us out on numerous occasions. They are loyal, smart, and capable heroes who are now official Avengers.”

It was dorky, and it was cheesy, but Ms. Marvel and Spider-Man received their official Avengers badges from Patriot.

“We’ll take your questions now.” Said Julie and the flood of reporters jumped, “Let’s start with…”She picked a woman.

“Why Captain Marvel?” asked the woman.

Captain Marvel took a deep breath and replied, “After speaking with my husband and Carol Danvers, I have decided to honor my father’s legacy.” More questions and uproar began, but he cut through it, “I won’t be answering any further questions at this time.”

“Sorcerer, Sorcerer, can we ask,” called a male reporter from the far back, “Are you the new Sorcerer Supreme?”

“Well the eye and the cloak aren’t just decoration,” replied The Scarlet Sorcerer and the reporters laughed, “I have been dubbed the new Sorcerer Supreme. I am 100% Doctor Strange approved.”

“Do you feel confident that the new names and costumes will help you do your job better?” called Kat Farrell.

“When we were younger,” began Captain Marvel, “We were honoring the legacy of the Avengers, we are continuing to do that.”

“Through our powers, we honor our family, parents, relatives, our mentors, and the people who looked up to the most.” Added the Scarlet Sorcerer, “The torch has been passed and a new generation of Avengers has come to the forefront ready to take on any foe to save the world.”


End file.
